Vuelta 2015 stage 9: Brilliant Tom Dumoulin takes stage win and red jersey

After168.3 kilometres in the saddle, stage 9 is set to finish atop the Alto de Puig Llorença in Cumbre del Sol. At the steep closing climb Tom Dumoulin takes control. He is caught by Froome in the final 200 metres, but he catches the Brit and powers to the win. The Dutchman is the new leader. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 9th stage Vuelta

1. Tom Dumoulin (nld)
2. Chris Froome (gbr) + 0.02
3. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) + 0.05
4. Fabio Aru (ita) + 0.16
5. Rafal Majka (pol) + 0.18
6. Nairo Quintana (col) + 0.20
7. Alejandro Valverde (spa) s.t.
8. Nicolas Roche (irl) + 0.31
9. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 0.33
10. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 0.34

15. Esteban Chaves (col) + 0.59

GC after stage 9
1. Tom Dumoulin (nld)
2. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) + 0.57
3. Esteban Chaves (col) + 0.59
4. Nicolas Roche (irl) + 1.07
5. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 1.09
6. Fabio Aru (ita) + 1.13
7. Nairo Quintana (col) + 1.17
8. Chris Froome (gbr) + 1.18
9. Rafal Majka (pol) + 1.47
10. Domenico Pozzivo (ota) + 1.52

Race report
Once the flag is dropped, a group thrtheen riders is off. KOM-leader Omar Fraile is one of them, while the other riders are Geraint Thomas, Nikolas Maes, Pieter Serry, Maxime Bouet, Lorrenzo Manzin, Mattia Cattaneo, Yohan Bagot, Maarten Tjallingii, Tony Hurel, Danny Van Poppel, Pavel Brutt and Jim Songezo. Alexis Gougeard joins them after chasing for tenths of kilometres and the fourteen race to a lead of around 6 minutes.

When cresting Alto de Puig Llorença for the first time the advantage is down to around 3 minutes. Fraile is first to crest, Serry is second, Bagot third and Cattaneo fourth. Bouet and Thomas join them in the drop, while Tjallingii, Jim and Brutt hook up a little later.

Tjallingii goes solo with 14 km’s left, but he is caught. Bouet en Brutt are next, and Thomas bridges the gap.

Orica GreenEdge leads the chase and at the lower flanks of the closing climb the escapees are caught. Quintana attacks and Valverde is next, but surprisingly it is Dumoulin who manages to force a real gap. He is caught with 200 metres left by Chris Froome and Purito Rodríguez and while it looks like a sure victory for the Tour de France-winner Dumoulin comes back to grab both stage win and leader’s jersey.